<<  -- 2 --  Tess Crebbin    A BROAD CAREER

Tess Crebbin: You were born in 1965 and you have done a lot during your career already: composer, ballet dancer, actor, pianist, and now singer. How did such an unusual career path come about?

Flavio Oliver: I had a rather unusual life because my father was a circus artist and so I grew up in a very arts oriented environment. As a child, I performed in a circus as an artist, but I soon discovered my love for music and by the age of ten, I was studying at the conservatory. I initially studied composition, the real classical way, harmony, counterpoint and the like. But I also took ballet lessons at the same time, basically because of my love for physical expression, which comes from my circus background.

TC: Your initial profession was ballet dancer?

FO: Yes, I did this for two and a half years and I could make a living at it. Then I discovered my love for theatre and so, once I put my mind to it, it only took one year until I was professional and within two years I had won some big actors award at an arts festival in Chicago.

TC: And where does piano and composing come into it?

FO: Well, I had studied composition, if you remember. So through my association with ballet, and then with theatre, I began composing ballet and theatre music, which was performed. From there, I went into composing film music and also chamber music, something that I do to this day.

TC: Are there any recordings of your own music?

FO: Not really. There are a few live recordings, but mainly, I compose for live performance.

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